Vladimir Longinov was the first to formulate the goals of the new geophysical
field in 1954, which he called “lithodynamics” (Longinov 1954). He believed that
this term was the most successful in relation to the sense of the new science. In his
“Essays” (Longinov 1973), he formulated in detail the main aspects of this oceanographic field and gave a list of the existing concepts about the ocean lithodynamics
and the main goals of its future development. He emphasized that according to its
content and general goals, lithodynamics can be related to the geophysical disciplines, but owing to the variety of requirements to the lithodynamic investigations,
they were conducted within various scientific fields: lithology, geomorphology,
dynamical geology, oceanography, hydrology of land, and many other applied
sciences (Longinov 1973; Longinov and Pykhov 1981; Longinov and Kosyan
1994).
Lithodynamic problems can be divided into the general geophysical and particular applied goals related to the interests of the other Earth sciences. Lithodynamics
is related to a field of geophysics, but owing to the complexity of the processes and
its multidisciplinary character, these researches are carried out at the boundary of
different disciplines.
V.V. Longinov divided the lithodynamic problems into engineering, geological,
geomorphlogical, biological, etc. The most important in the engineering aspect are:
• Distinguishing local differential time dependencies of matter transport on the
factors that determine this transport;
• Transition from one or another expression for the sediment transport as functions
of the determined parameters to the expressions for variations in topography;
• Establishing correlations between the engineering properties of the formed
deposits, their mobility and character of their motion;
• Distinguishing the equilibrium conditions between different forms of material
accumulation.
In the biological aspect, one can distinguish the problem of instantaneous and
time average local mobility of deposits (its intensity) and establishing the degree of
stability of variations in the composition and character of deposits as the most
important ecological factors.
Investigation of the physical, and first of all of the dynamic processes in the
contact zone between the lithosphere and hydrosphere or atmosphere is the basis of
the lithodynamic research. As we investigate the local dynamic regularities in this
contact zone it becomes possible to know how they spread in time and surface of the
lithosphere based on the lithological and geophysical studies of the surface deposit
column. Thus, the dynamics of the contact zone should be considered the physical
basis of lithodynamics.
To evaluate borders of the contact zone, one should consider it as an area where
interaction of sediment, water, and immobile floor produces dissipation of mechanical energy of the moving sediments and water.
Two main types of motion can be distinguished in the group of hydrogenic
processes:
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R.D. Kosyan and B.V. Divinskiy
field in 1954, which he called “lithodynamics” (Longinov 1954). He believed that
this term was the most successful in relation to the sense of the new science. In his
“Essays” (Longinov 1973), he formulated in detail the main aspects of this oceanographic field and gave a list of the existing concepts about the ocean lithodynamics
and the main goals of its future development. He emphasized that according to its
content and general goals, lithodynamics can be related to the geophysical disciplines, but owing to the variety of requirements to the lithodynamic investigations,
they were conducted within various scientific fields: lithology, geomorphology,
dynamical geology, oceanography, hydrology of land, and many other applied
sciences (Longinov 1973; Longinov and Pykhov 1981; Longinov and Kosyan
1994).
Lithodynamic problems can be divided into the general geophysical and particular applied goals related to the interests of the other Earth sciences. Lithodynamics
is related to a field of geophysics, but owing to the complexity of the processes and
its multidisciplinary character, these researches are carried out at the boundary of
different disciplines.
V.V. Longinov divided the lithodynamic problems into engineering, geological,
geomorphlogical, biological, etc. The most important in the engineering aspect are:
• Distinguishing local differential time dependencies of matter transport on the
factors that determine this transport;
• Transition from one or another expression for the sediment transport as functions
of the determined parameters to the expressions for variations in topography;
• Establishing correlations between the engineering properties of the formed
deposits, their mobility and character of their motion;
• Distinguishing the equilibrium conditions between different forms of material
accumulation.
In the biological aspect, one can distinguish the problem of instantaneous and
time average local mobility of deposits (its intensity) and establishing the degree of
stability of variations in the composition and character of deposits as the most
important ecological factors.
Investigation of the physical, and first of all of the dynamic processes in the
contact zone between the lithosphere and hydrosphere or atmosphere is the basis of
the lithodynamic research. As we investigate the local dynamic regularities in this
contact zone it becomes possible to know how they spread in time and surface of the
lithosphere based on the lithological and geophysical studies of the surface deposit
column. Thus, the dynamics of the contact zone should be considered the physical
basis of lithodynamics.
To evaluate borders of the contact zone, one should consider it as an area where
interaction of sediment, water, and immobile floor produces dissipation of mechanical energy of the moving sediments and water.
Two main types of motion can be distinguished in the group of hydrogenic
processes:
118
R.D. Kosyan and B.V. Divinskiy